"A traffic jam when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic...don't you think
A little too ironic...and, yeah, I really do think...

It's like rain on your wedding day

It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures"

domingo, 5 de abril de 2009

Desings for classrooms


Jane Jacobs criticizes the way different cities have been wrongly modified in The Death and Life of Great American Cities. For instance, many cities have been amputated by new buildings and highways; therefore, she strongly disagrees with the development of many cities. In her article, she walks us through the different changes they have suffered due to the need of having more buildings where people can live. This is a way of responding to the belt of poverty. The most important idea in her article is how important balance is. Having a balanced neighborhood will definitely improve everybody’s life quality. By saying balanced she is referring to the juxtaposing different scenarios in the right portion. According to Malcolm Gladwell, author of Designs for Working, individuals present in a room can definitely benefit if their seats are placed correctly. He indicates a certain distance to improve communication. Unbelievably, the same occurs inside the classroom. We must provide a great and friendly environment. Room organization is essential to create the best learning environment.It is suggested to form groups equally, so that its integrants can enrich themselves with the others’ qualities and characteristic. Consequently, you may want to have one shy student, an outgoing child, a good at English student and someone who has some difficulties with the language. Thus, they will learn from their classmates. Another efficient way of organizing your classroom is to invite the students to sit in a circle. By doing this, you can even eliminate some disciplinary conflicts. Also, your students will feel more relaxed and invited to speak during the lesson.Next time you plan a lesson consider how your class will be organized to make your students’ learning process more efficient and easier for them.
Sources: Jacobs, Jane. "The Death and Life of Great American Cities." The New Yorker
Gladwell, Malcolm. "Desings for Working". The New Yorker